Rollei-Wide X Plate backs

[Pauken4]

I've been shooting X-ray film in my Rolliflex 3.5F using plate pack and cut film holders for sometime now.

I just purchased a Rollei-Wide which has not arrived yet. I know that the Tele and Wide have backs with the hump , but don't know exactly what the hump is for. The glass insert perhaps?

Does anyone know if the plate back will work on the Rollei-wide?

 

[dpurdy]

Probably. the wide has a different latch but I have seen the wide back on a 2.8F so it would seem they are the same size. The hump back is for the optical glass that sits over the film gate inside the camera. Not sure why it needs a hump.
Dennis

 

[Pauken4]

Thanks. Is there a real benefit to the optical glass? I'd be more worried about dust degrading negatives, rather than seeing a noticable improvement in sharpness. My 16X20" prints from the X-ray film are ravor sharp as they are, without the optical glass.

 

[dpurdy]

There is a slight difference at wider fstops, but if you are getting razor sharp prints then don't fix what aint broke.. not worth all the time you spend cleaning the glass.
I have used the plate back a lot and it gives you the same film flatness from cut sheets as the optical glass gives you. The optical glass is to hold roll film flat.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I have the -wide and the tele- (and a few normal ones too). When I bought my -wide it came with the plate glass insert. I researched online other opinions about using it and after a few rolls with and without sort of agree with the prevailing feeling: it's not really worth the bother of dust and such vs what tiny if even perceivable benefit you might get.

Congrats on such a wonderful camera. For some reason I never really like the -wide perspective using any of my cameras (about 28mm in 35mm film terms) but I somehow click with the -wide in this TLR style in a big way and now love it:

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=38698047@N00&q=Rolleiwide

(Some shots from my first few months of owning)